Pet Survey

The good people at LA Blogs have asked local bloggers to recount experiences with pets. Although a little late, I like answering!

1. Got pets? Give us a roll call!
One dog my entire life, Frankie the Pug. I've had the random fish and a pet rock, but nothing as high maintenance as the family dog.

2. How did you and your pet(s) find each other?
My grandparents gave him to my sister as a high school graduation present. Some neighbors of theirs had just delivered a litter of Pugs and we were the lucky recipients of one such puppy.

2. Dog owners: What's your favorite place to take your canine for a walk/run/romp?
I rarely ever took him for walks, but I liked taking him to the park near my house.

3. Cat owners: Do you have indoor kitties or do you allow them outside as well?
No cats here, they're too apathetic.

4. Every pet owner needs access to a good veterinarian? Where do you go when your pets need health care, and why?
The local vet gives him a good checkup when he needs it, and gives him the meds he needs. She's rather good I'd guess, although I've never been there.

5. During any extended stays away from home, do you get a friend to care for them, board your pets, or hire a professional pet sitter? Any recommendations for the last two?
Usually, we'll take him with us if we're just traveling inland, but in the case of a long-distance trip, he'll more than likely go to a family friend's place and be taken care of. We had a bad experience with the dog kennel (which Frankie, I believe, still holds against us to this day) and you can always trust the people you've known for a long time to take care of your pets like their own.

6. Had any close contact with some of L.A.'s native wildlife?
I once saw a field mouse hanging out near my golf bag on a course. Other than that, it's been the occasional squirrel and birds, but no big cats.

7. Good or bad, what's your most memorable childhood animal encounter?
There was a time when I was quite young when I had a bad run-in with the next-door neighbor's Doberman pinscher. The dog chased after me on my big wheel and gnawed at my hand. I also remember my cousin's saint bernard slobbering all over the place whenever we visited. Beethoven had nothing on him.

8. What's the funniest and/or most frustrating thing your pet does?
Frankie has the tendency to shun his dog food after having eaten human food. Darn spoiled dog.